Arrhythmia NCLEX-style questions with answers 2025 latest version
Which of the following postimplantation instructions must a nurse B
provide a patient with a permanent pacemaker?
The nurse must instruct the patient with a permanent pacemaker
a. Delay activities such as swimming and bowling for at least 3
to avoid sources of electrical interference. Also, instruct the patient
weeks
to avoid strenuous movement, keep the arm on the side of the
b. Avoid sources of electrical interference
pacemaker lower then the head except for brief moments when
c. Keep moving the arm on the side where the pacemaker is
dressing or performing hygiene, and to delay for at least 8 weeks
inserted
activities such as swimming, bowling, tennis, mowing, etc.
d. Keep the arm on the side of the pacemaker higher than the head
Which of the following nursing interventions must a nurse perform A
when administering prescribed vasopressors to a patient with a The nurse should monitor the patient's vitals and cardiac rhythm
cardiac dysrhythmia? for effectiveness of the medication and for side effects and should
a. Monitor vitals and cardiac rhythm always have emergency life support equipment available when
b. Administer every 5 minutes during cardiac resuscitation caring for an acutely ill patient.
c. Keep the patient flat for one hour after administration The side effects of vasopressor drugs are hypertension, dysrhyth-
d. Document heart rate before and after administration mias, pallor, oliguria.
Which of the following dysrhythmias are common in older pa-
tients?
a. Atrial fibrillation
D
b. Sinus tachycardia
c. Ventricular tachycardia
d. Sinus bradycardia
Which of the following nursing interventions is required to prepare
a patient with cardiac dysrhythmia for an elective electrical car-
dioversion?
a. Monitor blood pressure every 4 hours C
b. Facilitate CPR until the patient is prepared for cardioversion
c. Instruct the patient to restrict food and oral intake
d. Administer digitalis and diuretics 24 hours before cardioversion
The nurse is caring for a patient who has had an ECG. The nurse
notes that leads I, II, and III differ from one another on the cardiac
rhythm strip. How should the nurse best respond?
a. Recognize that the view of the electrical current changes in
relation to the lead placement A
b. Recognize that the electrophysiological conduction of the heart Differences between leads are not necessarily attributable to
differs with lead placement equipment malfunction or dysrhythmia
c. Inform the technician that the ECG equipment has malfunc-
tioned
d. Inform the physician that the patient is experiencing a new onset
of dysrhythmia.
The nurse is analyzing a rhythm strip. What component of the ECG
B
corresponds to the resting state of the patients heart?
a. P wave The T wave specifically represents ventricular muscle depolar-
ization, also referred to as the resting state. Ventricular muscle
b. T wave
c. U wave depolarization does not result in the P wave, U wave, or QRS
d. QRS complex complex.
The nursing educator is presenting a case study of an adult pa-
tient who has abnormal ventricular depolarization. This pathologic
change would be most evident in what component of the ECG? C
a. P wave The QRS complex represents the depolarization of the ventricles
b. T wave and, as such, the electrical activity of that ventricle.
c. QRS complex
d. U wave
An adult patient with third-degree AV block is admitted to the
C
cardiac care unit and placed on continuous cardiac monitoring.
In third-degree AV block, no atrial impulse is conducted through
What rhythm characteristic will the ECG most likely show?
the AV node into the ventricles. As a result, there are impuls-
a. PP interval and RR interval are irregular.
b. PP interval is equal to RR interval. es stimulating the atria and impulses stimulating the ventricles.
c. Fewer QRS complexes than P waves Therefore, there are more P waves than QRS complexes due to
the difference in the natural pacemaker (nodes) rates of the heart
d. PR interval is constant.
1/6
, Arrhythmia NCLEX-style questions with answers 2025 latest version
The nurse is writing a plan of care for a patient with a cardiac
dysrhythmia. What would be the most appropriate goal for the C
patient? For patient safety, the most appropriate goal is to maintain car-
a. Maintain a resting heart rate below 70 bpm diac output to prevent worsening complications as a result of
b. Maintain adequate control of chest pain decreased cardiac output
c. Maintain adequate cardiac output.
d. Maintain normal cardiac structure.
A patient has returned to the cardiac care unit after having a per-
manent pacemaker implantation. For which potential complication B
should the nurse most closely assess this patient? Bleeding, hematomas, local infections, perforation of the my-
a. Chest pain ocardium, and tachycardia are complications of pacemaker im-
b. Bleeding at the implantation site plantations.
c. Malignant hyperthermia
d. Bradycardia
A patient the nurse is caring for has a permanent pacemaker
implanted with the identification code beginning with VVI. What
does this indicate? A
a. Ventricular paced, ventricular sensed, inhibited
b. Variable paced, ventricular sensed, inhibited
c. Ventricular sensed, ventricular situated, implanted
d. Variable sensed, variable paced, inhibited
A
The nurse is caring for an adult patient who has gone into ventric-
ular fibrillation. When assisting with defibrillating the patient, what The nurse should maintain good contact between the paddles
must the nurse do? Cardizem are given. The nurse caring for the patient understan
a. Maintain firm contact between paddles and patient skin.
b. Apply a layer of water as a conducting agent.
c. Call all clear once before discharging the defibrillator.
d. Ensure the defibrillator is in the sync mode.
A patient who is a candidate for an implantable cardioverter de-
fibrillator (ICD) asks the nurse about the purpose of this device.
What would be the nurses best response?
a. To detect and treat dysrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation
and ventricular tachycardia
b. To detect and treat bradycardia, which is an excessively slow
heart rate
c. To detect and treat atrial fibrillation, in which your heart beats
too quickly and inefficiently
d. To shock your heart if you have a heart attack at home
During a patients care conference, the team is discussing whether
the patient is a candidate for cardiac conduction surgery. What
would be the most important criterion for a patient to have this
surgery?
a. Angina pectoris not responsive to other treatments
b. Decreased activity tolerance related to decreased cardiac out-
put
c. Atrial and ventricular tachycardias not responsive to other treat-
ments
d. Ventricular fibrillation not responsive to other treatments
A nurse is caring for a patient who is exhibiting ventricular tachy-
cardia (VT). Because the patient is pulseless, the nurse should
prepare for what intervention?
a. Defibrillation
b. ECG monitoring
c. Implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator
d. Angioplasty
A patient converts from normal sinus rhythm at 80 bpm to atrial
fibrillation with a ventricular response at 166 bpm. Blood pressure
is 162/74 mm Hg. Respiratory rate is 20 breaths per minute with
normal chest expansion and clear lungs bilaterally. IV heparin and
2/6
Which of the following postimplantation instructions must a nurse B
provide a patient with a permanent pacemaker?
The nurse must instruct the patient with a permanent pacemaker
a. Delay activities such as swimming and bowling for at least 3
to avoid sources of electrical interference. Also, instruct the patient
weeks
to avoid strenuous movement, keep the arm on the side of the
b. Avoid sources of electrical interference
pacemaker lower then the head except for brief moments when
c. Keep moving the arm on the side where the pacemaker is
dressing or performing hygiene, and to delay for at least 8 weeks
inserted
activities such as swimming, bowling, tennis, mowing, etc.
d. Keep the arm on the side of the pacemaker higher than the head
Which of the following nursing interventions must a nurse perform A
when administering prescribed vasopressors to a patient with a The nurse should monitor the patient's vitals and cardiac rhythm
cardiac dysrhythmia? for effectiveness of the medication and for side effects and should
a. Monitor vitals and cardiac rhythm always have emergency life support equipment available when
b. Administer every 5 minutes during cardiac resuscitation caring for an acutely ill patient.
c. Keep the patient flat for one hour after administration The side effects of vasopressor drugs are hypertension, dysrhyth-
d. Document heart rate before and after administration mias, pallor, oliguria.
Which of the following dysrhythmias are common in older pa-
tients?
a. Atrial fibrillation
D
b. Sinus tachycardia
c. Ventricular tachycardia
d. Sinus bradycardia
Which of the following nursing interventions is required to prepare
a patient with cardiac dysrhythmia for an elective electrical car-
dioversion?
a. Monitor blood pressure every 4 hours C
b. Facilitate CPR until the patient is prepared for cardioversion
c. Instruct the patient to restrict food and oral intake
d. Administer digitalis and diuretics 24 hours before cardioversion
The nurse is caring for a patient who has had an ECG. The nurse
notes that leads I, II, and III differ from one another on the cardiac
rhythm strip. How should the nurse best respond?
a. Recognize that the view of the electrical current changes in
relation to the lead placement A
b. Recognize that the electrophysiological conduction of the heart Differences between leads are not necessarily attributable to
differs with lead placement equipment malfunction or dysrhythmia
c. Inform the technician that the ECG equipment has malfunc-
tioned
d. Inform the physician that the patient is experiencing a new onset
of dysrhythmia.
The nurse is analyzing a rhythm strip. What component of the ECG
B
corresponds to the resting state of the patients heart?
a. P wave The T wave specifically represents ventricular muscle depolar-
ization, also referred to as the resting state. Ventricular muscle
b. T wave
c. U wave depolarization does not result in the P wave, U wave, or QRS
d. QRS complex complex.
The nursing educator is presenting a case study of an adult pa-
tient who has abnormal ventricular depolarization. This pathologic
change would be most evident in what component of the ECG? C
a. P wave The QRS complex represents the depolarization of the ventricles
b. T wave and, as such, the electrical activity of that ventricle.
c. QRS complex
d. U wave
An adult patient with third-degree AV block is admitted to the
C
cardiac care unit and placed on continuous cardiac monitoring.
In third-degree AV block, no atrial impulse is conducted through
What rhythm characteristic will the ECG most likely show?
the AV node into the ventricles. As a result, there are impuls-
a. PP interval and RR interval are irregular.
b. PP interval is equal to RR interval. es stimulating the atria and impulses stimulating the ventricles.
c. Fewer QRS complexes than P waves Therefore, there are more P waves than QRS complexes due to
the difference in the natural pacemaker (nodes) rates of the heart
d. PR interval is constant.
1/6
, Arrhythmia NCLEX-style questions with answers 2025 latest version
The nurse is writing a plan of care for a patient with a cardiac
dysrhythmia. What would be the most appropriate goal for the C
patient? For patient safety, the most appropriate goal is to maintain car-
a. Maintain a resting heart rate below 70 bpm diac output to prevent worsening complications as a result of
b. Maintain adequate control of chest pain decreased cardiac output
c. Maintain adequate cardiac output.
d. Maintain normal cardiac structure.
A patient has returned to the cardiac care unit after having a per-
manent pacemaker implantation. For which potential complication B
should the nurse most closely assess this patient? Bleeding, hematomas, local infections, perforation of the my-
a. Chest pain ocardium, and tachycardia are complications of pacemaker im-
b. Bleeding at the implantation site plantations.
c. Malignant hyperthermia
d. Bradycardia
A patient the nurse is caring for has a permanent pacemaker
implanted with the identification code beginning with VVI. What
does this indicate? A
a. Ventricular paced, ventricular sensed, inhibited
b. Variable paced, ventricular sensed, inhibited
c. Ventricular sensed, ventricular situated, implanted
d. Variable sensed, variable paced, inhibited
A
The nurse is caring for an adult patient who has gone into ventric-
ular fibrillation. When assisting with defibrillating the patient, what The nurse should maintain good contact between the paddles
must the nurse do? Cardizem are given. The nurse caring for the patient understan
a. Maintain firm contact between paddles and patient skin.
b. Apply a layer of water as a conducting agent.
c. Call all clear once before discharging the defibrillator.
d. Ensure the defibrillator is in the sync mode.
A patient who is a candidate for an implantable cardioverter de-
fibrillator (ICD) asks the nurse about the purpose of this device.
What would be the nurses best response?
a. To detect and treat dysrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation
and ventricular tachycardia
b. To detect and treat bradycardia, which is an excessively slow
heart rate
c. To detect and treat atrial fibrillation, in which your heart beats
too quickly and inefficiently
d. To shock your heart if you have a heart attack at home
During a patients care conference, the team is discussing whether
the patient is a candidate for cardiac conduction surgery. What
would be the most important criterion for a patient to have this
surgery?
a. Angina pectoris not responsive to other treatments
b. Decreased activity tolerance related to decreased cardiac out-
put
c. Atrial and ventricular tachycardias not responsive to other treat-
ments
d. Ventricular fibrillation not responsive to other treatments
A nurse is caring for a patient who is exhibiting ventricular tachy-
cardia (VT). Because the patient is pulseless, the nurse should
prepare for what intervention?
a. Defibrillation
b. ECG monitoring
c. Implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator
d. Angioplasty
A patient converts from normal sinus rhythm at 80 bpm to atrial
fibrillation with a ventricular response at 166 bpm. Blood pressure
is 162/74 mm Hg. Respiratory rate is 20 breaths per minute with
normal chest expansion and clear lungs bilaterally. IV heparin and
2/6
